Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine October 2019 | Page 192

The volcanic island of Saba covers
only 500 square meters of land and
it is home to the regal peak of Mt.
Scenery, the highest point on the Dutch
island, which rests on top of a mighty
long upward hike. Saba is the perfect
landscape for avid hikers. Its hiking trails
meander through lush rainforests, where
you will come across a myriad of exotic
plants of all shapes and sizes, and plenty
of goats and roosters roaming the
island freely.
by Helene.
The Dutch Caribbean island of Saba is the smallest
piece of heaven on earth. The moment you land on
the shortest commercial runway in the world, you
are instantaneously stricken by the natural beauty
of this Unspoiled Queen. Island neighbour, the
famous St. Maarten, is a 15-minute flight away and I
was strong-hearted enough to take the short flight
(and not the ferry) and land on the 400-meter-
square runway of the stunning Saba! Now, I would
love to have Saba all to myself, but reluctantly, I’ll
share it with you.
Sitting on top of extremely diving-
friendly waters, the island is entirely
surrounded by exciting diving spots
in what is called Saba National Marine
Park, ably supervised and protected by
The Saba Conservation Foundation. This
organization has been operating since
the 80’s with a mandate to promote
diving on the island and protect the
coral reefs. There are dives of different
depths, all within view of the island and
you can find dives as deep as a hundred
feet surprisingly close to shore. Diving
lessons can be conveniently obtained
from any of the island’s dive shops.
On this little gem, you’ll find houses
unnumbered, but with unique names,
and there’s only one way to navigate the
island with a vehicle, and that’s via The
Road - Saba’s one and only main road.
It is easy to see why Saba is called the
Unspoiled Queen. She is obviously yet
to be touched by metropolitan
elements. It is inhabited by an
extraordinarily small population
of 2,000 Sabans who are very
keen to keep their homeland
true to itself and to nature.
If you’re there for the wild
nightlife, beach bars,
franchise shops, and
chain restaurants, then
Saba is not for you, my
friend. It is for those who
are willing to travel the
distance for the quaint,
the natural, and the quiet.
The small beautiful island
is family-friendly, partner-
friendly, and solo-friendly.
If you don’t want to go there
by air, you can reach Saba’s
Fort Bay by ferry, unhurriedly
hike the Saban trails, take in
the breath-taking scenery, lunch
on fresh seafood, and enjoy the
company and hospitality of the
friendly Saban people.
I wanted to keep Saba all to myself,
but I can’t help but share her with
you and I’m glad I did. Now it’s your
turn to visit. I guarantee you will love
her as much as I do.